places excepted, where we could perceive trees rising, as it were, out of the sea; and which, therefore, we supposed, grew on low land, or on islands bordering upon the shore of the continent.[5] At five in the afternoon, our latitude being then 58 deg. 53’, and our longitude 220 deg. 52’, the summit of an elevated mountain appeared above the horizon, bearing N., 26 deg.  W., and, as was afterwards found, forty leagues distant.  We supposed it to be Beering’s Mount St Elias; and it stands by that name in our chart.

[Footnote 5:  According to Muller, Beering fell in with the coast of North America in latitude 58 deg. 28’, and he describes its aspect thus:  “L’aspect du pays etoit affrayaut par ses hautes montagnes couvertes de niege.” The chain or ridge of mountains covered with snow, mentioned here by Captain Cook, in the same latitude, exactly agrees with what Beering met with.  See Muller’s Voyages et Decouvertes de Russes, p. 248-254.—­D.]

This day we saw several whales, seals, and porpoises; many gulls, and several flocks of birds, which had a black ring about the head; the tip of the tail, and the upper part of the wings, with a black band; and the rest bluish above and white below.  We also saw a brownish duck, with a black or deep-blue head and neck, sitting upon the water.

Having but light winds, with some calms, we advanced slowly; so that on the 6th at noon we were only in the latitude of 59 deg. 8’, and in the longitude of 220 deg. 19’.  Mount Fairweather bore S. 63 deg.  E. and Mount Elias N. 30 deg.  W.; the nearest land about eight leagues distant.  In the direction of N. 47 deg.  E. from this station, there was the appearance of a bay, and an island off the S. point of it that was covered with wood.  It is here where I suppose Commodore Beering to have anchored.  The latitude, which is 59 deg. 18’, corresponds pretty well with the map of his voyage,[6] and the longitude is 221 deg.  E. Behind the bay, (which I shall distinguish by the name of Beering’s Bay, in honour of its discoverer,) or rather to the south of it, the chain of mountains before mentioned is interrupted by a plain of a few leagues extent; beyond which the sight was unlimited; so that there is either a level country or water behind it.  In the afternoon, having a few hours calm, I took this opportunity to sound, and found seventy fathoms water, over a muddy bottom.  The calm was succeeded by a light breeze from the N., with which we stood to the westward; and at noon the next day, we were in the latitude of 59 deg. 27’, and the longitude of 219 deg. 7’.  In this situation, Mount Fairweather bore S. 70 deg.  E.; Mount St Elias N. 1/2 W.; the westernmost land in sight N. 52 deg.  W.; and our distance from the shore four or five leagues; the depth of water being eighty-two fathoms over a muddy bottom.  From this station we could see a bay (circular to appearance) under the high land, with low wood-land on each side of it.